These critics are right. The Democrats could improve their political fortunes by unequivocally embracing the three central principles of the political Left: anti-Americanism, economic piracy, and moral degeneracy.

At first glance, this may not seem like a winning political program. But consider: Anti-Americanism is quite a popular notion these days. Lots of people hate America, and some of those people live in America. The anti-Americans blame American foreign policy for causing terrorism and other evils in the world. They detest American capitalism and American culture.

A newly assertive Democratic party could embrace this anti-American vision. It could go beyond opposing President Bush's Iraq policy to opposing all efforts to fight terrorism. Indeed it could declare America itself to be a terrorist country and seek to define all U.S. military action as "state-sponsored terrorism."

How would such a policy be sustained politically? Of course it would not be enough to win the votes of America-haters in this country. It seems that there are many millions of America-haters in other countries, such as France, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Pakistan, and Yemen. The Democrats should encourage America-haters all over the world to become American citizens. Failing this, they should work to loosen eligibility requirements so that anti-American aliens could at least vote for Democratic candidates in presidential elections.

Second, the Democrats should openly advocate the economic looting of one class of citizens in order to benefit another class of citizens. Ordinarily this is called theft, but in politics it is called "redistribution" or better still "compassion." Again, in ordinary language people who are robbed are called "victims," but in politics they are called "greedy" for wanting to hold on to what is theirs.

Now it may seem that the Democratic party has already perfected the art of using the government for the purpose of legal plunder. True, since the New Deal the Democrats have been the party of economic redistribution. By and large, Democrats have shown no interest in how to create a pie; their sole focus has been on how to carve up the pie.

But Democrats in the past few decades have been hampered by the need to seem economically responsible, and thus the party has not embraced the Left-wing program of blatantly seizing citizens' asserts and earnings. Why stop with a measly prescription-drug benefit for the elderly? The Democrats could abandon their past timidity and go for it all: free health care for seniors, unlimited scholarships for anyone who wants to go to college, no time limits on unemployment benefits, no work requirements for welfare, federal subsidies for aspiring artists to produce anti-Bush sculptures and songs, and so on.

This Democratic approach would be based on the political wisdom embodied in George Bernard Shaw's maxim, "Any government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always count on Paul's support." The secret, of course, is to make sure that the beneficiaries of this state-sponsored robbery (potential Democratic voters) outnumber those who are robbed (potential Republican voters).

Finally, the Democrats could become the party of moral degeneracy. In recent years the Democrats have not embraced moral degeneracy outright. They have contented themselves with hiding behind the slogan of "liberty." If accused of encouraging pornography, the Democrats have said, "No, we are for liberty of expression." Charged with supporting abortion-on-demand, the Democrats insist, "No, we are the party that gives women freedom over their own bodies." Caught distributing sex kits and homosexual instruction manuals to young people, the Democrats protest, "We are merely attempting to give people autonomy and freedom of choice."

But what is the need for this coyness? The Democrats should stop hiding behind "freedom of choice" and become blatant advocates for divorce, illegitimacy, adultery, homosexuality, bestiality, and pornography. Indeed the Democrats could become the Party of the Seven Deadly Sins. The political advantage of this approach is that the Seven Deadly Sins are immensely popular. Imagine the political opportunities if all vices were associated with the Democratic party!

Yes, right now President Bush and the Republicans are riding high. But just wait until 2004, when the party of fighting terrorism, promoting economic growth, and fostering traditional moral values, meets its match in a party that stands for anti-Americanism, economic plunder, and moral degeneracy.

Today's democrat party is disconnected from leadership power at every level of government.

1) The democrat party doesn't have the White House.(1R-0d)
2) The democrat party lacks a majority in the Senate.(51R-48d-1)
3) The democrat party lacks a majority in the House of Representatives.(226R-209d)
4) The democrat party lacks a majority of Governors seats across the 50 states.(25R-25d)
5) The democrat party lacks a majority of State Houses across all 50 states. (25R-22d)

Today's democrat party doesn't enjoy majority leadership at either the state or federal level.

How would such a policy be sustained politically? Of course it would not be enough to win the votes of America-haters in this country. It seems that there are many millions of America-haters in other countries, such as France, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Pakistan, and Yemen. The Democrats should encourage America-haters all over the world to become American citizens. Failing this, they should work to loosen eligibility requirements so that anti-American aliens could at least vote for Democratic candidates in presidential elections.

Second, the Democrats should openly advocate the economic looting of one class of citizens in order to benefit another class of citizens. Ordinarily this is called theft, but in politics it is called "redistribution"

Look, democrats are sooooooo desperate they might try something like this. Best not to give them ideas...

The Democrats should stop hiding behind "freedom of choice" and become blatant advocates for divorce, illegitimacy, adultery, homosexuality, bestiality, and pornography. Indeed the Democrats could become the Party of the Seven Deadly Sins.

Where oh where is the pagan church of the hypocritical donkey's rendition of Jim Jones, the Revrearend Clinton been since Tuesday? I haven't seen him on any of the networks. Usually his liberal media pals have a camera shoved in his face 24 hours a day in the hope that he'll pontificate.

These are strong words coming from an establishement source like the National Review, I'd say. It sounds like one of our FR rants, which tells me that the world is catching up with us mean spirited extremists. I mean D'Souza has never been a provocateur and a bomb thrower like Coulter, has he?

Today's democrat party doesn't enjoy majority leadership at either the state or federal level.

Unfortunately for the US, Illinois is still in the union.

We just handed the governorship, state house, and state senate to the dems. Also, the Sec of State office, the Attoryney General's office, the Comptroller, and most of the judges also went dem.

So if I were you, I'd avoid Illinois like the plague. If you're on a flight that requires a stop-over in Chicago, change your travel plans. Once Rod the Bod and the rest of the Chicago mafia take over, you'll be required to pay an entry fee and income tax anytime you cross the state line.

But what is the need for this coyness? The Democrats should stop hiding behind "freedom of choice" and become blatant advocates for divorce, illegitimacy, adultery, homosexuality, bestiality, and pornography.

D'Sousa's implied sarcasm isn't too far removed from the reality that Democrats are living, considering how utterly bankrupt they are....These clowns are paying a HEAVY price for adopting and promoting such hollow, unprincipled and morally-relative stances...This garbage doesn't sell to any self-respecting voter...8 years running and they've yet to figure it out.

What happened on Tuesday night was the logical result of a party who hoped and prayed to win by default because the foundations neccesary for victory require real conviction and a sense of purpose.

Their arrogance now insists that they must move their party even further to the left to stay viable....It's only "logical", right?

I was thinking about this today. If the Dems had toosed clinton overboard like the criminal he is, Algore would have become President, would have run as an incumbent and probably won, and they would not have suffered the embarrassment of Bonior and McDermott, or the Wellstone Memorial DNC Convention, or the embarassment the clintons bring on a regular basis.

They would probably still hold the Senate, and may have gained the House.

If they had jettisoned clinton, they might still have a soul, but they did not, and they are reaping what they sowed...

I remember something one of my conservative friends told one of my liberal friends trying to make them feel better about Paul Wellstone. "Look, you may have lost a senator that you cared for, but you gained a voter that will be there forever". Yesterday, same kid "The democrats message fell on deaf ears, this is actually an improvement, usually it falls on dead ears".

You're right -- it does sound kind of FR'ish, doesn't it? I would love to see a corner turned where Democrats are being slagged even in mainstream publications. Not just criticized, but ridiculed and derided. I think it'd be really healthy for the whole nation, like a big pent-up exhalation.

This is exactly the point they are making over there: win power by demonstrating how much you despise the things that made this nation great.

And they're probably plotting their revolution while they sit in a leather EZ chair in front of a 60" color TV watching their hero Joshua Barlett, munching on bonbons--They better hope that the great people of this nation never tire of saving these idiots from themselves.

This Democratic approach would be based on the political wisdom embodied in George Bernard Shaw's maxim, "Any government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always count on Paul's support." The secret, of course, is to make sure that the beneficiaries of this state-sponsored robbery (potential Democratic voters) outnumber those who are robbed (potential Republican voters).

When they say "keep em dumb and on the plantation" , they really mean it.

It seems to becoming clearer and clearer that this election cycle has grievously wounded the Democrat Party. There is panic, rage, and fear in the air on their side of the river. Some Democrats are timidly suggesting that the Democrats ought to temper their pro-abortion zealotry, maybe ease up on attacking gun owners etc. They are being shouted down fiercely and and instantly. The overall reaction of the Democrats appears to be shaping up as a hard lurch left. If that happens, they'll lose three or four more Senate seats, a dozen House seats, and the presidency in 2004. People forget that Clinton won by moving a bit to the center and co-opting just enough of the conservative issues to pass himself as a moderate. It was cunning bamboozlery, and it worked.

The Democrats are fresh out of cunning bammboozlers of Clinton's quality. They are what they seem: raw, nasty, morally dissolute and yet weirdly smug and self-righteous. They have aborted their children, embraced grotesque marginal issues such as gay marriage, and are heavily dependent on buying patronage from certain well defined minority groups. Thay are losers hell-bent on showing everyone just how serious they are at being losers.

I thought Rod's commercials played on his Polish background. Don't know much about his father, but his father-in-law, Dick Mell, is a Chicago Alderman and one of Daley's boys. Rod has clintonian problems ("I smoked pot, but I can't remember if I inhaled," and a string of girlfriends), so his father-in-law first sent him to Springfield to get him out of Chicago, then to DC to get him out of Springfield.

I guess the easiest path to power was through the Alderman, so Rod did what he thought necessary. Looks like it paid off for him.

Dinesh D'Souza's sarcasm is lost on the opposition party. They take things literally so I'm hopeful they'll follow this well-meaning advice and also take in stride Ann Coulter's recommendation to rename themselves The Abortion Party with unbridled enthusiasm. Once the dust has settled we'll see how many of them are still around. Looks like the Democrats want to go the way of The Whigs and even while they're in the process of self-destructing, its wise for us to just sit back and watch it unfold. After all, the enemy is doing a fine job of it all on his own.

If the liberal dems would ease up on taxes and the Second Amendment, most libertarians would embrace the liberal dems like long lost lovers.

Wow! I sped by your post, but when I thought about it a bit more I recognized how very true it is! Congratulations for nailing it! It seems the libertarians might need just a few other items too, but attaining their allegience seems as if it is possible.

FR will lose some of its most intransigent and argumentative posters to DUh if that happens.

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